Red Wings and White Claws
by FairyPrime
Summary: On Tsuchimikado Island, exorcists and the supernatural live in peace, away from the outside world of human civilization. However, when Shimon, Mayura, and Rokuro find themselves transported to New York City, they must find a way back home while fighting a mysterious evil out to destroy everything they have ever known and loved. similar to original universe w/ supernatural qualities
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: I do not own Sousei no Onmyouji, Yoshiaki Sukeno does. Please feel free to R &R. Thanks and enjoy!**

 **Prologue**

Tsuchimikado Island was unlike any other place found on Earth. It was a place of peace for all exorcists and supernatural alike. The island was kept separate from the rest of humanity who could not hope to understand the islanders' gifts and powers. Some would become power-hungry for the abilities of the people of Tsuchimikado Island, and others only saw freaks and monsters. Now, Tsuchimikado Island was thought of nothing more than another fictional tale meant to intrigue the minds of young children, powerful sealing spells keeping the island safely hidden away from prying eyes.

Guarding the island are the Twelve Guardians; twelve heavenly commanders who inherited the names and powers of Abe no Seimei's shikigami; the first exorcist. Each guardian was a member of one of the original ally houses who aided Abe no Seimei in sealing the island from the rest of the world. Succession of the guardians differentiate between the twelve houses: the Amawaka House, Ikaruga House, Inanaki House, Loroi House, Kasukami House, Mitejima House, Mitosaka House, Sada House, Ujii House, Unomiya House, and the Zeze House. Led by the head exorcist of the Tsuchimikado House, these traditions are absolute and have continued to guide the security of the island.

Thousands of years later, now, an arising darkness has set out to destroy the peace that has graced the island, and that is where our story begins.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

Spring on Tsuchimikado Island was always a sight to behold. Shikigami of all kinds could be found roaming the fields of the island's prairies and forests while the city life continued to bustle with life. On this particular day of spring, two children could be found on a hill with sparse trees near the Ikaruga household. The grandeur of the trees made up for their lack in numbers. Smooth bark and elongated branches making the trees excellent for climbing. A boy with red hair and glasses was situated in such a tree, intently studying a book on exorcism spells and fighting techniques with serious azure blue eyes. Down below, a tiny girl pouted up at the older boy; her white tiger tail and ears twitching with irritation.

"Shimon~! Come down from there and play with me~!"

Swaying a dangling foot from the branch he was perched on, Shimon Ikaruga scowled down at the eight year-old Amawaka. "I don't have time to spend playing around with you." With that he returned to reading his book, adjusting his position on the branch to make more room for his red wings.

Mayura Amawaka glared up at the red-winged boy in annoyance. As the successor to the title of Suzaku, it was rare to ever find Shimon doing anything other than studying and training. Despite also being destined to be part of one of the Twelve Guardians, Mayura never let responsibility stop her from doing what she enjoyed best: having fun and annoying Shimon.

Mayura continued to pout at the Ikaruga boy before smirking. Suspicious of how quiet the little Amawaka had become, Shimon barely had time to look up from his book before a blonde blur crashed into him, shoving him and itself off the branch and to the ground below. Red wings unfurled and caught the air before the pair could crash to the ground.

Before Shimon could scold the girl for her reckless behavior Mayura deftly plucked his book from his hands and, using him as a springboard, jumped safely to the ground, leaving Shimon toppling the rest of the way to the ground. Irritated, Shimon jumped to his feet and adjusted his glasses.

"Give me the book, Mayura." Shimon ordered.

Mayura firmly shook her head. "Play with me!" She insisted.

"I don't want to play right now!" Shimon shouted. His wings began to twitch and flap in irritation.

"Then fight me!"

"Huh?!" Shimon stared exasperatedly.

"If I win, you have to play with me!" Mayura nodded to herself proudly, happy with her sound reasoning.

Shimon could only stare. "I'm not going to fight a girl. It would be disrespectful." Of course, that was a lie. Shimon had been training with individuals of the opposite sex for years now. It wasn't unheard of that women, too, possessed great skill on the battlefield, Subaru Mitejima was a testament to that.

"I'm going to be one of the Twelve Guardians, too, you know!" Mayura fumed. Her grip on the book tightening.

Desperate to save the precious item, Shimon attempted to appease the younger girl. "It's not that! I just don't want to hurt you…" He mumbled the last part, directing his attention to the ground in an attempt to hide his growing blush.

When silence continued to permeate the space between them, Shimon continued, "Besides, it's not that I―"

Shimon ducked before a swinging foot could smack him in the face. Reflexes taking over, Shimon rolled through the movement, finishing the move with a kicking sweep that knocked Mayura's feet out from under her. Before Mayura could retaliate, Shimon had her arms pinned to the ground on either side of her head, straddling her waist so she would not be able to knee him in the abdomen. The book flew from Mayura's grasp and skidded across the ground.

Shimon smirked down at Mayura's vain attempts to break free from his hold, proud of himself for perfecting the hold. His triumph was short-lived, however, when he finally took the time to discover the position he was in. Shimon could feel his face burn with embarrassment as he attempted to stutter out, "Th..This is…isn't what you―"

Once again, Shimon's speech was interrupted….by Mayura promptly head-butting him on the forehead.

Groaning in pain, Shimon fell from his position above Mayura to the ground beside her. Both children curled into themselves in an attempt to ease the pain reverberating through their skulls.

Shimon continued to rub tenderly at his forehead, hissing in pain, only to tense when a tiny hand began to run itself across the expanse of his left wing. He relaxed and sighed, gently smiling as the hand continued to glide across the fiery feathers. Pain and book forgotten, his mind could only concentrate on Mayura's gentle touch.

"They're beautiful, Shimon" Mayura whispered. The rays of the sun illuminated the feathers in a beautiful blend of deep oranges and bright reds. Even dormant, the wings appeared as if they were made of fire. Mayura had spent a great deal of time admiring Shimon and his siblings, Sayo and Keiji, practicing to control their aerial movements to best aid them in combat. When in-flight the wings of the Ikaruga House were a true sight to behold.

In Mayura's household―the Amawaka House―individuals were well known for their white tiger attributes, as a sign of their connection to Byakko, the White Tiger―and one of the Twelve Guardians.

"Everyone in the Ikaruga household has them." Shimon murmured.

"But these are a part of you. That makes them special." Mayura stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She continued to trace the outline of his wings, running a finger down to where the wing connected to his shoulder blade. Shimon shivered at the contact.

Turning so that he was facing Mayura, Shimon reached out and flicked at one of the tiger ears at the top of her head. It twitched in agitation before returning to its original position. "You're delusional." He deadpanned, his face scarlet in embarrassment.

"I am not, you red-haired, feather-brained, idiot-genius!"

"…What does that even mean?"


	2. Late

**Author's Note: Hey, guys! So, sorry for those that already read the first chapter, but I tweaked a bit of the chapter b/c I wanted to add some stuff. Not much is different though, so you won't need to reread it to understand the rest of the story. Once again I don't own Sousei no Onmyouji. All rights go to Sukeno Yoshiaki. Enjoy~!**

 **Warning: Characters may seem a bit OC.**

 **8 Years Later**

She was so late!

That was running through Mayura Amawaka's head as she traveled across the buildings of the city district. Clad in her official black and yellow kariginu, passer-byers would stop to stare in awe and point as she jumped from atop the buildings of the city district, traveling as fast as her tiger abilities would allow her. Ears and tail twitching in apprehension, Mayura jumped across the gap between two buildings, stopping only for a second to catch her breath before continuing to make her way across town towards Taigetsurou.

Towering over all other buildings on the island, Taigetsurou was the Head Exorcist Central Office where the Twelve Guardians (Heavenly Commanders) would gather to discuss matters pertaining to the island. Such meetings were rare and far in-between, but were all valued and considered with the highest esteem. And, as luck would have it, it was also the very type of meeting Mayura found herself running late too…again.

It wasn't her fault the monorail to Taigetsurou had shut down. Of course, she would have made it to the Exorcist Union if she had taken the earlier monorail, which would have happened if she had remembered to set her alarm and actually wake up! Oh, if her father could see her now. Mayura shuddered at the thought. And if that wasn't her only problem, _he_ was bound to be there already. Internally groaning, Mayura was so caught up in wondering why the men in her life were so unreasonable that she crashed into a familiar individual, while making another leap between the next two buildings: Keiji Ikaruga.

Keiji was the present commander of the exorcists under the Ikaruga House as well as the eldest son. He was also to be the next family head after the retirement of his father, Hoji Ikaruga. Keiji possessed short red hair and azure eyes, as well as the standard red wings which symbolized his connection to the Ikaruga name. With a tall build and lean frame, Keiji was well-known among many women on the Island as a "good catch", and he had no problem flaunting his looks wherever he went. Mayura was an exception – viewed as more of a younger sibling than anything else.

"Woah, Mayura!" Keiji laughed and, stabling Mayura with a grip on both forearms, he lowered them to the roof of the closest building with a flap of his red wings. "Aren't you supposed to be at headquarters, already?" pointing at the looming building in the distance. Flying just above the two friends were two more exorcists of the Ikaruga house, armed in full hunting gear. Shrugging to one another, they both dropped to the roof of the building on either side of Keiji, watching on in confusion but remaining silent.

Scared of the time she was wasting, Mayura rushed to say, "I know! I know! I'm so late and _he's_ going to _kill_ _me_ when I get there, but it's not my fault! But it won't matter since I'm running late anyway! Oh, he's going to kill me!" She gasped for breath.

Keiji stared before bursting into laughter. "HAHAHA! You better hurry then. I'm taking these two for border patrol," gesturing to the exorcists at his sides, "but feel free to drop by the estate later. Sayo misses you." He winked.

"Of course! Bye, Keiji!" Mayura rushed out, not really paying attention, before hurrying to her original destination once again.

Keiji watched until Mayura's figure disappeared into the distance, laughing under his breath and shaking his head. "I hope he takes it easy on her this time." He chuckled before taking flight, his two accomplices following.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

When Mayura finally made it the entrance of the Exorcist Union, she ignored the protests of the two guards at the front doors and promptly threw the entrance doors open with a resounding slam. It was only after the double doors slammed into the walls of the hall that Mayura figured that she should have given her entrance more thought. Being greeted with twelve pairs of eyes on her was very uncomforting, especially since those eyes belonged to the Heavenly Guardians and Head Exorcist. She gulped and waved timidly.

"Mayura-chan! You made it after all!" Arima Tsuchimikado exclaimed, breaking the tension in the room.

"Aw~ Kitten-chan is late again, hmm~?" Tenma Unomiya hummed, munching on a stick of Mitarashi Dango. Five more boxes were stacked to the side.

"The younger generation has no respect for their elders." Mike Zeze grumbled.

"My, my. What kept you Mayura-han~? Don't tell me you slept in because of a late night out with a secret lover." Subaru Mitejima giggled behind her fan. An almost inaudible "tch" could be heard at Subaru's comment, but Mayura couldn't pinpoint who made the sound above her own embarrassment ringing in her ears. She struggled for a response that didn't come out strangled and choked.

"That will be 5000 yen for wasting my time." Kengo Ujii stated matter-of-factly, not taking his eyes off of his abacus. To his immediate right, Tatara could be seen munching on his stash of bread corners, a content look on his face.

Luckily, the rest of the Guardians remained relatively silent as Mayura made her way to her seat next to _him_. Shimon remained silent and refused to acknowledge her presence. He didn't need to speak though, his silence spoke volumes – she was in _so_ much trouble.

Risking a peak to her left Mayura cringed at the Ikaruga's twitching brow, restless wings, and tapping fingers. Since Shimon had designated himself as the one in charge of her training, Mayura usually always faced some sort of training punishment when she was late to meetings of importance, and today would be no different. Mayura sighed, resigned to her fate. Damn him, that nonstop, zealous, Spartan teacher!

"Well, if everyone's here now let's start the meeting shall we~!" Arima cheered before shifting his attitude to a face of seriousness. "The Yin Twin Star talisman has been activated."

All at once, shouts of indignation and anger rang throughout the room. Even Shimon's demeanor shifted from annoyance to underlying concern. Mayura, on the other hand, was left confused. She turned to Shimon, a questioning look in her eyes. Shimon met her gaze before giving her an imperceptible nod: he would explain later. Nodding in return, Mayura returned her attention to Arima who was waiting for everyone to settle down.

"Because of some unexpected events the talisman has been activated and has chosen a successor. As such, two of the Heavenly Guardians will be deployed to find and retrieve the Yin holder on the mainland." Arima explained.

 _The Mainland?_ Mayura thought. No one ever brought up the mysterious land beyond Tsuchimikado Island. Of course, it was a requirement that all Heavenly Guardians learn about the geography, languages, and cultures of the world beyond the island, in case of such an emergency. However, besides the culture and language of Japan, which was apparently the nearest country to the island, all other knowledge was only open to the Guardians and Head Exorcist.

Mayura ignored the questions and comments of the other commanders, fiddling with the ends of her kariginu. It wasn't like she would be picked out for this mission anyway. Her ability to speak the other hundred-some languages of the outside countries were subpar at best. She had only been a Heavenly Commander for a month at the most, that didn't provide a lot of time for her to learn much of the outside world on top of all the responsibilities of being a Guardian and her training with Shimon. _That's right._ Mayura turned to look at Shimon again. The older boy appeared deep in thought, listening intently to everything being said, as always. Shimon would most likely make a good candidate for this mission.

"For now, the Heavenly Commanders will take shifts to ensure the safety of the Yang Talisman." Arima stated. This captured Mayura's attention. From the middle of the grand table they were seated at a rising platform lifted out a sealed chest, chained and covered in sealing talismans. Once removed it wasn't hard to figure out that the talisman was powerful. Mayura could feel the energy coming off the contents of the chest; it seemed that everyone else at the table could as well. All twelve guardians shifted in their seats, wary of the power undulating the surrounding atmosphere. Arima continued, "Border patrol and strengthening the Island's shielding will also take priority. Narumi-kun, Kengo-kun, I leave that to you."

Jumping onto the table, Arima plucked the chest from its place at the center, and began to twirl around like a child. "And that concludes our meeting~! Tenma-kun gets first watch at 1800 hours." No one did anything but watch as the Head Exorcist leapt from the top of the table onto the ground and skipped out of the room, chest in tow.

One by one, the Heavenly Commanders stood and left the building, Tenma following after Arima. Standing, Mayura made to follow the exiting exorcists, trying to sneak under the radar of a certain individual before a heavy hand landed on her shoulder, causing a dark shudder to travel down her spine. "Where do you think you're going?" Shimon gritted out, brow twitching. His grip on her shoulder tightened.

Mayura laughed nervously, "…home?" Shimon's glower only deepened. She was so screwed.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

 _Clack. Clack. Swish._

Shimon gracefully ducked beneath her swing, bringing his wooden staff down upon her head. Mayura moved to intercept the block with her own staff, flinching under the pressure of the blow. Shimon wasn't pulling his punches this time. Getting desperate, Mayura attempted to swipe his leg out from under him with her right leg. He saw through her. Moving faster than she could anticipate, Shimon lifted his leg and hooked it under Mayura's swinging one, tripping her up. Mayura landed on her back with an audible "oof", the grass of the plain they were training at cushioning her fall. Shimon didn't stop there, though. She barely had time to roll out of the way before his staff came down on the spot she just was. She continued her roll until she was once again up on her feet, but didn't have time to evade the blow to the back of her knees. Once again, Mayura found herself on her back, this time, with the end of a wooden staff at her throat. She had lost. Again.

Heaving for breath, Mayura took the hand Shimon offered her happy to see he too seemed to be at least a _little_ winded. Mayura walked over to her bag for a bottle of water. Unscrewing the cap she took a desperate gulp before turning to Shimon, who was starting to practice Kobudo stances. "So, what's wrong?"

"Your stance is all wrong and you continue to refuse to take the initiative. Your stamina has improved, but you lack strategy and the drive to follow through with your attacks." Shimon recited, not pausing in his practice.

Mayura threw her water bottle at his head. It bounced off his head before rolling to the ground and he finally paused to turn towards her, annoyance in his gaze. "I didn't mean my training – what's wrong with my stance anyhow? No, never mind. I meant what was up with today's meeting? What are the Yin and Yang talismans? Are you going to be one of the guardians going to the mainland? Why-?" Shimon cut her off, throwing her discarded staff back at her. She fumbled with it before catching it, glaring at the boy but obliging him. She met him halfway and got into her fighting stance: both hands gripping the bo staff and angling her body to the side, bending her knees.

He made the first move, lunging at her. Mayura lifted her staff to block the blow. "The Yin…and Yang Talismans are…enchantments that give the holder the ultimate power of darkness and light." Shimon followed through with a series of attacks, not letting up in his explanation. Mayura struggled to keep up and listen at the same time. "Because of the risk of having the talismans fall into the wrong hands…" Shimon grunted when one of Mayura's stray hits caught him in the gut. "…the Yin (dark) talisman was sent to the mainland, and guarded by the Adashino House. While the Yang (light) talisman remained on the island." As Shimon finished his explanation, Mayura found her opening and let out a swift kick, catching Shimon at the back of his knees. On his knees, Mayura placed the end of her staff at his collarbone claiming her first win out of thirty-six.

Shimon sighed. Placing his weapon down, he moved to sit next to his duffel bag. Mayura followed suit. "I thought the Adashino House was wiped out during the Civil War thousands of years ago." Mayura said, watching Shimon wipe the sweat from his brow with a blue towel from his bag.

"That's what the Exorcist Union wants everyone on the island to believe. You've only been a Commander for a month now, so it's not surprising that you wouldn't know, yet." Shimon answered. "In truth, the Civil War was caused by a group of rogue exorcists that wished to harness the dark powers of the Yin Talisman. Unfortunately, the power of the talisman was too much for them to handle and they became what we know as basara. The basara thrive off of people's sin and karma, and the darkness the exude gives way to impurities, or kegare. With the help of Abe no Seimei, the original Heavenly Commanders, and the Yin and Yang talismans they were banished to Magano. After the battle, it was decided that the talismans were too dangerous to be kept together, the Yin Talisman was to be sent to the mainland and guarded by the Adashino House – the house of one of Abe no Seimei's most trusted generals. Because of the present darkness already ravaging the outside world – wars, plague, corruption – the aura of the Yin talisman would be masked from detection by the basara. For the Yin talisman to have bound itself to a holder…we don't yet know of their intentions, but if they aren't found quick the basara will be attracted to the aura of the talisman and its holder sooner or later." Shimon concluded his explanation, downing the rest of his water bottle.

Mayura stared in shock. "…And the kegare we fight on the island?" She nervously asked.

"Despite what others may believe, impurities have always been after the Yang talisman." He suddenly turned to Mayura, serious. "Mayura, no one can _ever_ find out about the origins of the kegare and basara besides the Heavenly Commanders. This sort of information could cause another civil war if people are power-hungry enough. And if the basara were to somehow find and possess either talisman…" He hesitated.

Mayura smiled kindly. "Don't worry, Shimon. I won't tell a soul."

Shimon sighed in relief before perking up in remembrance. Rounding on Mayura once again, he pulled on one of her tiger ears. "Ow, ow, ow, ow! Shimon~!" Mayura whined.

"That was the sixth time you've been late to a Commander meeting, Mayura!" Shimon growled out, releasing her ear. Mayura sighed in relief. She cradled her precious ear before covering both ears with her hands, glaring warily at the older boy. Her tail flicked in agitation.

Shimon just continued to look down on her disapprovingly before suddenly turning shy, red creeping up his face. Mayura faltered in her own glaring. "Is it true? What Subaru-san said?" He asked, attempting to hide his growing blush in his dark maroon shoal.

Mayura stared in confusion before turning scarlet. She sputtered for a response. When no words would escape, she promptly began slapping him on the head, to his indignation. "You idiot! Don't say such embarrassing things you cheerful, troublesome, happy boy!"

Shimon folded his wings over his head to block the blows. "Well, could you blame me?! You're always late and leaving to go off somewhere at night! It wouldn't be hard to imagine that you've been spending time with a…a l-lover." He stuttered out. When the slaps stopped raining down on him, Shimon cautiously moved his wings down. Looking over to the young Amawaka, Mayura's face still remained a bright shade of pink, but at least she had stopped hitting him.

After a couple tense moments of silence, Mayura sighed before turning to face him. Shimon tensed, wings at the ready to shield himself. "How long have we known each other, Shimon?" Mayura asked instead.

Shimon stared back quizzically, "Where's this coming – OW!" He rubbed at the spot where she smacked his head.

"Just answer the question." Mayura blushed.

"Twelve years. Ever since Seigen-san began training me as an exorcist." He replied easily.

Mayura nodded in confirmation. "And throughout those twelve years, have I ever given you any reason to not trust me?"

Shimon placed his hand on her shoulder until she looked him in the eyes. "I trust you with my life, Mayura." Shimon stated seriously. It was true. Other than focusing on defeating impurities to save Chiiko from her fate, Shimon never took the time to make actual friends. It was only while training with Seigen that he met Mayura. Persistent child that she was, they became close friends. Unlike the other children, who would rave at how "cool" he was or drool at his good looks, Mayura seemed to be the only person around his age who treated him like a normal person. She never shied away from his cold personality nor did she take his situation with saving Chiiko, from having to carry 48 guardian spirits until the end of all impurities, lightly. Rather, Mayura had vowed to aid him in his quest and only trained that much harder to prove herself. Mayura was different.

Returning to the present, Shimon watched Mayura's face began to resemble that of a tomato. "W – well, it's good that we understand each other!" She harrumphed before turning away from him.

Shimon chuckled, shutting his eyes. The next time he opened them he was surprised to find an outstretched hand in front of his face. Mayura's kind smile and expectant face greeted him. "I trust you with my life, too, Shimon."

Shimon blushed and turned away. "I'm not doing it." He mumbled.

Mayura faced shifted to one of surprise before pouting. "Come on, Shimon~. You're the one who invented it." She reminded him.

"That was over 10 years ago! I had no idea what I was doing!"

"But it's our thing!"

" _Our?!_ " Shimon sputtered.

"Oh, for the love of…here!" Mayura reached out before Shimon could protest. Gripping his hand, Mayura brought her head down so that their foreheads were touching. Her deep eyes bore into Shimon expectantly. Shimon tensed before reluctantly relaxing, sighing. Gripping her hand more firmly, azure eyes met aqua blue.

"Even if distance separates us…" Mayura started.

"…we'll always find our way back." Shimon finished.

Mayura smiled. "See? Was that so hard?" She continued to remain in the same position. Neither ready to break the almost hypnotic spell they were under. The outside world blurred from view. There was just him and Mayura. Shimon couldn't hear anything outside of his own heart beat banging against his ribs. He had no idea what was happening with his heart; all he knew was that he didn't feel like ending this moment anytime soon. He could check out the weird palpitations of his heart with his family's physicist later.

Gulping, he tried to gather up the courage to say something. "Mayura – " Shimon started.

Mayura's eyes suddenly widened before exclaiming, "I'm late!" She leaned away and pulled her hand from Shimon's, to his displeasure. Removing herself from the spot they had situated themselves in, she began to gather her things into her bag.

Shimon remained where he was, startled and confused. Taking a quick glance at the horizon, Shimon startled at how late it was. The sun was just beginning to dip beneath the trees; they'd been out training for hours now – it was half past seven. "We don't have another meeting at the Exorcist Union today." He said, lifting himself from his sitting position. He continued to watch as her panicked form scramble for her things.

"Keiji and Chiiko won't mind if we're late to the estate." Shimon attempted to alleviate Mayura's panic. The young Amawaka continued with her frantic movements.

"What? No! That's not what I'm late for! Where is that bo staff?!" Mayura rushed, trying in vain to search for her discarded staff.

Shimon was only left more confused. "I thought you met with Keiji this morning and decided to come over…?" He handed her said staff.

"Thanks. What? When? No, I told him I would meet him at Oimi Port in the Kaminari District at seven!" Mayura struggled to zip up her bag. "Stupid, troublesome, demon zipper!"

"Who? Keiji?" Shimon further questioned.

Mayura's patience at its limit, she forgo the zipper, leaving her bag half zipped. "NO! ROKURO!"

Shimon stopped cold at the unfamiliar name. His heart began to constrict and his stomach clenched in distaste. "Who's Rokuro?"

Ignoring him, Mayura began to brush through the knots in her hair with her hands. Fixing up her karingu so she looked somewhat presentable, she turned to Shimon. "How do I look?"

"Fine, but who's – "

"Thanks! Bye, Shimon!" Using her enhanced abilities, she leapt to the top of the trees and disappeared from sight.

" – Rokuro?" and she was gone. Left alone in the clearing, Shimon could only stare in the direction Mayura took off in.

For a few painstaking seconds, Shimon contemplated following her. It wasn't that he didn't trust in her abilities to take care of herself. It's just that he was looking out for a friend. Yeah, he tried to assure himself. He was only looking out for her best interests. Who knew who this guy was? He could be using Mayura to get to the Heavenly Commanders. But, Mayura did appear excited to meet with him. Maybe she's familiar with him? The clenching feeling in his heart returned. Mind made up, Shimon crouched and prepared to take to the skies after Mayura before something caught his eye. Having fallen from her bag, Mayura's talisman holder laid innocently on the ground. Picking up the item, Shimon sighed before placing it in his own bag. Unfurling his wings, Shimon took to the skies after his friend. At least he had a valid excuse to follow her now.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hey, guys! Sorry for any grammar mistakes, but I don't yet have a beta-reader. So, if anyone's interested in being a beta-reader for Red Wings & White Claws, feel free to PM me. Lots of things happened this chapter! It would have been longer, but I just felt like cutting it off here. If you guys want longer chapters please feel free to let me know in your reviews. Reviews let me know if you guys are liking the story and also encourage me to write out faster chapters. ;D **

**Also, in case of any confusion that might be going around, here's a list of the abilities and supernatural/animal traits of each of the Twelve Houses~!**

 **Ikaruga House (Shimon): Red Phoenix** Flight (only house that possesses flight) – red-feathered wings

*Members of the Ikaruga family (not house) also have the ability to summon weapons (more detail will go into this next chapter): much like Erza from Fairy Tail does but with weapons only.

 **Amawaka House (Mayura): White Tiger** enhanced strength and speed – tiger ears and tail

 **Unomiya House (Tenma): Shinigami (death god/spirit)** enhanced exorcist capabilities

 **Toda House (Tatara): Snake** quick and nimble reflexes – serpent body in full equip form

 **Mitosaka House (Kankuro): Dragon** enhanced hearing and sight – dragon incisors

 **Mitejima House (Subaru): Fox Spirit (Kitsune)** sly and nimble– fox ears and multiple fox tails (depending on rank)

 **Kasukami House (Cordelia): Tengu (heavenly dog)** harbinger of war, specialize in robotic enchantments

 **Sada House (Sakura): Lion** enhanced vocal cords and strength – lion tail and ears

 **Ioroi House (Narumi): Bear** fierce pride and enhanced strength – large body frames

 **Ujii House (Kengo): Tortoise** shielding abilities and exceeding intelligence – most members of the Ujii House require glasses because of their poor eyesight

 **Inanaki House (Arata): Eagle** enhanced vision (best of all the houses) – Inanaki house is in charge of monitoring impurity activity; do not possess ability to fly unfortunately

 **Zeze House (Miku): Fairy** can control inanimate objects, skills in fine arts – short in height, transparent wings

 **Enmadou House (Rokuro): Wolf** sharp teeth, wolf ears, and tail


	3. Rokuro

After almost falling out of five trees, getting whacked in the face by stray branches, and scaring a family of shikigami owls, Mayura had finally reached the familiar rooftops of the city. She continued on her way until she made it to Oimi Port, searching for a familiar head of disheveled brown hair. Mayura's eyes roamed the port until they finally landed on a familiar figure leaning against the railings of one of the piers. The lamppost above illuminated messy dark brown locks and deep crimson eyes searching around his surroundings before frowning down at his flip-phone. He was dressed in a casual red shirt and light capri shorts. A black, short-sleeved, zip-up hoodie kept out the cold of the fast-approaching night. Smiling to herself, Mayura picked out the last of the stray branches caught in her hair before making her way over, adjusting the strap of her duffel bag.

"Rokuro!" she waved once she was in hearing distance.

The boy turned his head in the direction of her shout, waving his hand in greeting. "Mayura – why are you in your hunting gear?" He raised a questioning brow at her appearance.

Mayura looked down at her disheveled kariginu before letting out a nervous laugh, scratching at her cheek with a finger. "I lost track of time while I was training with Shimon. Sorry for being so late." She apologized.

Rokuro laughed in return, "No, don't worry about it. The training must be really hardcore, huh?" He eyed the bruise beginning to blossom on her face. The mix of blues and purples covered the majority of her cheek and chin. It looked like she was punched in the face. Hard. And that was only the bruise he could see. Her kariginu covered any other bruises she might have had. "He doesn't hold back does he?"

"'Hesitation gets you killed on the battlefield' he says." Mayura replied. "I don't mind, though. After dad's accident…" she shook her head. "I need to get stronger, to protect those who can't fight for themselves." Her eyes shown with determination.

Rokuro placed his hands on her shoulders, directing her with a toothy grin. "That's awesome, Mayura. If we're ever in a fight, I know I can count on you to have my back."

"Of course." Mayura returned his smile. "What's that thing you were so excited to show me?"

Rokuro paused. "Oh, right! Mayura, it's so cool! All day there's been this voice in my head calling for me. I know, weird right?!" he exclaimed at her perplexed expression "But get this! This creepy box just showed up out of nowhere and won't leave me alone! Here, I'll show you!" Before she could get a word out the young half-wolf bent down to pick up a container situated behind him. Mayura couldn't see the the box originally because of it being shadowed by Rokuro's form.

She let out a smile at seeing the endearing boy so happy before her eyes widened at what exactly he was in possession of. Her bright smile immediately turned into an expression of fear and shock. There was no mistaking it. From the heavy chains, to the numerous seals keeping its contents tightly contained. Cradled in Rokuro's hands was the container for the Yang talisman.

Completely ignoring the look of fear etched into her face, Rokuro grinned, "Look." Before promptly chucking the small container off the pier and into the ocean as far as he could.

When the container could no longer be seen above the waves, Mayura broke out of her reverie. "NO!" she yelled, running to the end of the pier. Before she could attempt to jump after the chest, however, a pair of arms circled their way around her waist, keeping her from retrieving the sinking box.

"Mayura, what are you doing?!"

"Let me go, Rokuro! You have no idea what you've done you disobedient, endearing, wolf-boy!" She screamed, struggling against his hold.

"…What?" Rokuro continued to hold the young Amawaka back from jumping into the waters below. "Just wait and listen to me for a sec-" before Rokuro could finish his sentence, a dark object promptly fell from the sky and onto his head, rendering him silent. Perplexed, Mayura ceased in her struggling. Once again sitting innocently on the ground, was the box containing the Yang talisman. Mayura could only stare.

Rokuro scratched at the back of his head, laughing nervously. "See? It keeps following m-" A blur of red hair and feathers slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

Mayura gasped in surprise, watching as the two forms wrestle across the wooden planks of the pier. The mysterious figure ended up on top, holding a knife to Rokuro's throat.

"Shimon?!" Mayura exclaimed.

Not letting up on his hold on Rokuro, Shimon turned dark azure eyes on her. "Explain, now."

A cold shudder ran down Mayura's spine. She had never seen Shimon so angry. Irritated enough to pinch and pull on her tail and ears, yes, but nothing like this. He was absolutely livid. The knife in his hands especially worried her. Shimon rarely used his equip weapons, he preferred expanding on his exorcism capabilities by relying on his charms and enchanted gear – Shuzen Zappa – despite summoning being faster.

As the holder of Suzaku, Shimon was the only known exorcist to be able to possess the ability to summon weapons – primarily his Aerial Blades. Although, Shimon only had six blades in his armory presently. Creating new weapons or upgrading the ones he already had took up a lot of spiritual power and would leave him drained for days at a time. With how busy he was on different missions and assignments, Shimon hadn't had the time to upgrade his inventory recently. Each blade was diamond in shape, with a heavy pommel, and around twelve inches in length. The sides and point of the blade were yellow in color with a streak of vibrant red running down its center. Though he didn't use them often, Shimon's blades were like an extension of his own body. Mayura could only describe them as beautiful, but deadly. Shimon fought like a different person with them. To see them out now did not bode well for either her or Rokuro.

From underneath the Heavenly Commander, Rokuro gaped at the older boy. "This is Shimon?! I thought he'd be tall – ICK!" The knife at his throat put more pressure on his jugular, almost cutting the skin open.

Shimon turned his glare onto the half-wolf causing Rokuro to freeze. "Be. Quiet. Speak again and you'll find the ability to talk, much less breath, more than a little difficult to accomplish in the near future." Enforcing his words, Shimon put just the tiniest bit of pressure in his hand holding the blade causing a tiny drop of blood to bloom and slide down to pool at the junction between Rokuro's shoulder and collar-bone. Rokuro nodded as stiffly as the blade at his throat would allow.

"Shimon!" Mayura yelled. "Let him go. He doesn't have anything to do with the Yang talisman."

"If he doesn't have anything to do with it, then why is it in his possession?" Shimon fired back, not taking his eyes off the boy in question. "Stupid Tenma. Can't do a simple thing like guard a box." He muttered under his breath.

Not hearing his side comment, Mayura tried to explain. "Rokuro said that the box just appeared to him. He even threw it into the ocean and it just came right back to him! Please, Shimon, let him go." The plea in her voice broke through his resolve and he recalled his dagger, lifting himself from over the other boy.

Rokuro coughed, grateful for the ability to properly breathe again. Mayura rushed to his side, a handkerchief at the ready to wipe at the blood that had pulled at his collar. Shimon ignored the twinge in his heart at the sight – it was starting to become a regular feeling – and pulled out his phone from his bag, which had been discarded to the side of the pier when he had tackled the half-wolf. Preparing to dial Arima-sama, to inform him about the situation, he turned to the other two. "We'll wait here until Arima-sama gives his orders on what to do about the talisman and the half-wolf." He promptly ignored the other boy's indignant 'hey'. Looking around their surroundings, Shimon noted that the sun had long ago fallen below the horizon, bathing their surroundings in darkness only lit by the lampposts lining the pier they were on. Shimon shivered, but not from the cold…they were being watched. When the dark presences he felt seemed to neither fade nor come closer, he turned to Mayrua. "Contact Loroi-san and see if a patrol group is near our coordinates." Not wanting to give the approaching enemies knowledge of his knowing of their whereabouts Shimon casually added, "The half-wolf will need to be brought in for questioning by the Exorcist Union, first."

Said boy let out a yell, "You're doing this on purpose aren't you?!"

Mayura, in response, simply nodded and reached for her own phone in the bag still strapped across her shoulder, oblivious to what had Shimon so on edge. She wasn't going to risk opposing him when he seemed to still be angry with her.

Huffing at being ignored by the two other teens, Rokuro turned his sights to the container being ignored thus far. What was so important about this talisman they were talking about, anyhow? He thought. Picking the container up, he rotated it in his hands to get a look at all its angles. Curiosity ate at his mind. He had to know. Entranced, he tried his hand at removing the sealing paper attached to the box, surprised when they pulled away from its edges like wet paper. Motivated, he continued with the others. When the last seal came away, the cracks to the opening of the container began to glow a vibrant gold, catching the attention of Mayura and Shimon.

"Rokuro, what –" Mayura started to say, before the box exploded.

Undeterred by the chains closing it shut, the chest flew open in a burst of golden light. When the light faded away, the contents were revealed to be a single…blank, black talisman.

Intrigued, Rokuro plucked the black talisman from the depths of the container, turning to inspect it on all sides. "Huh, it's blank."

Clearing the daze from what had just occurred, Shimon scowled. "Put it back, idiot. You have no idea what kind of power that possesses." He began to make his way towards the awe-struck boy, furious.

Rokuro turned his head, ready to voice his opinion before the talisman began to crackle with electricity. A bright light began to emanate from the inside of Rokuro's wrist, the symbol of a star encompassed in a circle beginning to brand itself in his skin. He screamed in pain. Collapsing at the searing sensation and dropping the crackling talisman to the floor.

In response to his screams, Mayura and Shimon ran to the boy's side. Shimon gripped Rokuro's arm to get a better look at the symbol being etched into his skin while Mayura kneeled on his other side, yelling his name. Suddenly, the dark sensation Shimon had felt began to make itself known, closing in on their location. Dropping the boy's arm, he summoned two of his Aerial Blades to each hand. Armed, he turned to shield the two teens.

"Mayura! We need to leave. Now." Shimon yelled over his shoulder. He could begin to see multiple figures rushing towards them. His gritted his teeth, tightening his hold on the blades.

Sensing the danger coming for them, Mayura stared worriedly at Shimon before turning to Rokuro. "Rokuro, we need to go." She pulled him to his feet, wrapping his arm across her shoulders. He was dead-weight against her.

"Go…?" Rokuro rasped. The pain of the symbol being seared into his right wrist left him exhausted. His vision began to go blurry and his knees collapsed. "Go…where?"

"Away." Mayura responded, adjusting his arm across her shoulders. Taking a quick glance at Shimon, Mayura could finally see the danger. Now at the opening of the pier and closing in fast, figures clothed in full black karingus and blank masks, black and shaped much like a fox's face, could be seen as they passed under the light of the lampposts, heading towards their own position at the end of the pier. Before Mayura could begin to find an escape route the fallen talisman began to crackle with even more electricity, startling her. Much like the gates they use to enter Magano, the talisman opened a portal from right under their feet. A scream escaped Mayura's throat as they fell through.

"Mayura!" He glared at the fast-closing gate before turning narrowed eyes on the fast-approaching figures. Making a quick decision, Shimon threw one of his blades at the nearest person not only ten feet away. He only had a moment to see the figure falter in their approach before he turned to jump through the portal. It closed right after him.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

He brought a hand up to his face only for it to come away red. A warning. The gash made by the flying blade just barely missed taking out the sight in his right eye; it would surely leave a scar.

" **Suzaku."** He growled. He turned to address the rest of the group. "Scatter. They were calling for back-up before we got here." Everyone nodded before blending into the shadows and disappearing.

Taking out his communicator, he brought it up to his ear. " _You failed_." A voice rasped on the other end. The voice was warped so the gender, much less identity of the individual could not be determined.

"There was a complication. Two of the Guardians were with the boy."

An impatient huff could be heard. _"Now that the boy has become the talisman's holder, and has time to become aware of that fact, our job has just gotten that much harder. You were supposed to take him before he could escape. If he figures out what he is, the powers he can unlock will make him unstoppable."_

"Let me take a team to the mainland. I'll find the boy and the two guardians." He attempted to appease the voice.

" _I already have a team ready. They're already making headway in the search for the Yin holder; a few more exorcists will be child's play. You and your team are to take no more actions against the Exorcist Union until hearing back from me first._ _ **Do I make myself clear?**_ _"_

"Crystal." He gritted out. The line went dead.

His hands fell limply to his sides. Frustrated, he squeezed the advice in his hands, effectively crushing it. He prepared to join his squad before something caught his eye. Forgotten on the pier was the phone and bag Suzaku had been carrying. He picked up the two articles, assessing them, before finally turning to leave.

By the time the patrol group, Mayura had called, arrived, there was nothing left to suggest anything had occurred that night.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

He was falling.

On any other day, that would have been funny, seeing as how he was part of the one house on the island that specialized in _flying_. Falling was a foreign feeling to those in the Ikaruga House. But, if there was one thing that Shimon learned through this experience it was that he _hated_ the feeling of free falling through a teleportation gate taking him who-knows-where.

The pressure bearing down on him kept his wings tightly folded against his back. Not feeling in control of how he moved raised goosebumps on his skin and caused his stomach to churn. It was nauseous. It didn't help that all he could see in any direction was darkness. It was like falling through a never-ending pit. He couldn't see nor hear any signs of Mayura or 'whatever-his-name-was'.

Finally, Shimon could faintly make out a tiny light beneath him, quickly enlarging the longer he fell.

 _The exit._

As he drew closer, he had to shut his eyes against the brightness before the sound of a bustling city reached his ears. He squinted his eyes opened before they blew wide in panic. A yelp – that he would deny ever happened if anyone asked – escaped his throat at the fast approaching ground. Before he could hit the asphalt his wings spread out on reflex and left him levitated inches above the ground. Sighing in relief, Shimon righted himself and landed.

His nose twisted at the smell emanating from his surroundings. From what he could tell, he was in an alley-way, a dirty one, with brick-walled sides and piles of trash at the end. There was a fire escape to his right and an open dumpster to somewhere to his left. Before he had the chance to further investigate he heard familiar screaming coming from above. Directing his attention upwards, he could see Mayura and wolf-boy's flailing forms as they free-fell to the ground. Thinking fast, he took a running start before kicking off the side of the building to catch Mayura mid-air. The wolf-boy could save himself…hopefully. After lowering them safely to the ground, he directed his attention to the girl still in his arms. "Are you okay?"

Mayura stared at him curiously. "How'd you get here before us?"

"That's what you're worried about?" Shimon deadpanned.

Behind them Rokuro dug himself out of the dumpster he had landed in. "I could have died! Why didn't you catch me?!"

Shimon turned to him. "I can only carry one person at a time when flying." Lies. Mayura shot him a glare for it. He shrugged before making his way to Rokuro.

"Where's the Yang talisman?" Shimon held out his hand expectantly.

"How am I supposed to know?! I was too busy trying to not pass out as it branded _this_ into my wrist!" Rokuro yelled, holding out his right hand.

Shimon grabbed his hand and dragged it closer to inspect the mark. Rokuro muttered to himself before scrutinizing the area. "Where are we anyway? This doesn't look like any place I've been on the island."

"That's because it's not." Shimon replied. He released Rokuro's arm and turned to acknowledge the other member of their impromptu traveling group. "Mayura do you have your phone with you? Mine was lost in the fight." Mayura looked through her bag before handing him the flip phone. The red and white chicken charm hanging from it made him pause.

 _Tenma's work, no doubt._

Ignoring it, for now, he flipped through the phone to call Arima. Turning to Rokuro he ordered, "Stay" before hitting dial.

"I am not a dog!" Rokuro growled. Mayura walked over to comfort him.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

 **Author's Note**

 **Lots of things happened! Mayura, Shimon, and Rokuro are gone. A mysterious group is after Rokuro. Hmm…what could that be about? LOL. Sorry for the somewhat cliffhanger, but it's finally going to start getting exciting. Anyway, if any of you were wondering what Shimon's Aerial Blades look like, I based the design on this:**

 **?id=4679**

 **It's been somewhat of a dream of mine to see Shimon fighting with dual short blades. Sorry for anyone that doesn't agree, but it's my fanfic so…oh, well. XP**

 **To the Guest that reviewed: Thank you so much for your feedback~! Don't worry. I plan for this fic to be fairly long. ;)**

 **Thank you to those who Faved and Followed. See you all next time!**


	4. The Mainland

**Hey Everyone! So, sorry for keeping this update from you all for so long! But I came back with a 5K long chapter, so I hope ur all happy with that~! Enjoy and please feel free to leave a review! I apologize in advance for any grammar mistakes there might be.**

 **Underlined words** **: words spoken in a "different" language**

" _Hai! Moshi, moshi~! Mayura-chan, is that you~?"_

Shimon perked up when the call finally went through. Seeing that the other two were occupied talking to one another, he moved to a more discreet corner of the alley, turning his body in such a way so that their conversation would not be overheard. "Arima-sama, there was – " He was about to respond.

" _Ah! Shimon-kun! Did the three of you make it to the mainland alright?"_ Arima interrupted.

This captured Shimon's attention. He was immediately on edge, glancing warily to the phone in his hand. "How did you – "

He was interrupted again. _"Oh, good, good. A few people, including myself, on the island were beginning to get worried when you and Mayura-chan weren't anywhere to be found for two days. Is Rokuro Enmadou unharmed?"_

Two days. Shimon brought the phone away from his ear to stare at the top of the screen. Tuesday, August 15; 2:27 EST.

Everything was moving too fast for Shimon to process. They were stranded on the mainland, it was apparently two days from when they had originally passed through the portal, and Enmadou had bonded with the Yang talisman – becoming its new holder…wait.

"Did you do it, Arima-sama?" Shimon demanded.

" _Do what, Shimon-kun?"_ Arima hummed.

"The Yang Talisman couldn't have bonded with Enmadou unless it had come in contact with him, and it would not have been possible for him to infiltrate the Exorcist Union to steal it either. According to his initial response to the talisman, he had no prior knowledge of its existence which means that the only way it could have ended up in his possession and have bonded to him is that someone from within the Union had given it to him. Plus, you seem to already be informed of his name and whereabouts." Shimon stated. If the situation were not so dire, he would have been proud of his evaluation.

 _Clap. Clap. Clap._

Shimon startled at the sound of clapping from the other end. Arima's serious voice sounded from the speaker, his initial jolly attitude nowhere to be found. _"Well done, Shimon-kun. I expected no less from a prodigy. Yes, it's true, I gave the order for the talisman to be delivered to our dear little half-wolf."_

Shimon's eyes narrowed in seriousness. "Who did you send to deliver it?"

" _Tenma, of course."_

Shimon felt his heart all but stop in his chest. Tenma. Known on the island as the strongest exorcist, Tenma Unomiya was the head to the Unomiya House – a house of Shinigami: death gods. To know that Tenma and Arima could be hiding something from the rest of the Heavenly Commanders was very concerning. Unless, there were other Commanders in on their secrets? It was obvious Arima had his own agenda that he was following, and it somehow involved the half-wolf.

Shimon turned to watch Mayura and the wolf-boy. Mayura was helping him pick trash out of his clothes and hair as he laughed at something she said. He must have felt Shimon's gaze on him because he stopped mid-laugh to stare at him. Shimon eyes only narrowed further in scrutiny. In reply, Rokuro stuck his tongue out while pulling on the bottom of one of his eyelids. Shimon reeled in disgust. _How childish._

Shimon turned his back to him. He only heard the other boy yell something about not ignoring him before he returned to his call with Arima. "Why wasn't the rest of the Heavenly Commanders informed of your plans Arima-sama? What connection does Enmadou have with the Yang Talisman? What are you and Tenma –"

" _I'd be careful, Shimon-kun."_ Arima cut in. _"That kind of tone with your Head Commander could bring bad tidings for yourself. If something happens to you who would save young Sayo-chan from her fate, hm?"_

Shimon's grip on the phone tightened at the implications. With a snap of his fingers, Arima Tsuchimikado could wipe out the entire Ikaruga House and no one would be none the wiser. As the Head Exorcist of the island, every decision he made was to better life on the island to defeat the Kegare. The thought of sacrificing every exorcist on the island to do it barely fazed him. They were all just pawns for him to use at his leisure.

Shimon's hand clenched into a fist, nails biting into his palms, and his teeth grit in anger. "Yes, sir." He gritted out.

Arima's cheery voice sounded. _"Excellent! On that note, I have a mission for you and Mayura-chan~. You two will be the Guardian candidates to find and bring the Yin Talisman holder back to the island. Sounds exciting, right~? Unfortunately, you'll need Rokuro Enmadou to track down its holder, but it'll be like a family road trip!"_ Shimon paused at Arima's command, his anger stalled for the moment.

Shimon tried to protest. "Arima-sama! Please, I ask that you send another Commander to accompany myself and Enmadou. Mayura's only been a Commander for at the most a month and –"

" _Impossible."_

"But –!"

" _Don't worry, Shimon-kun~! You were the one looking after Mayura-chan's training, weren't you? I leave the both of them in your dependable care~."_ Arima sang. _"Also, no need to worry about your work on the island while you are gone. Keiji-kun and Seigen agreed to cover for you and Mayura-chan."_ That failed to appease Shimon's worry. Taking on a mission like this…this wasn't just about purifying Kegare, they were bound to run into trouble…the death-defying kind. Shimon was also worried about the secrets Arima was hiding from him regarding their mission. Whatever awaited them, it couldn't be good. And there was also the threat of those rogue exorcists on the island…

Shimon gasped in remembrance. "Arima-sama! Before we were transported to the mainland, there were a group of –!"

" _Don't worry, Suzaku. They are of no concern to you or your mission. You are hereby ordered to proceed."_ It was not a request.

"I understand." Shimon responded, defeated.

" _Excellent! Just one other piece of advice Shimon-kun: I wouldn't get too comfortable. In this situation, the talisman holders come first above all else;_ _ **everyone else is expendable**." _His voice turned cheery once more. _"But hopefully it won't come to that~. Enjoy your trip~!"_

The call ended, leaving Shimon with even more questions and no answers.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

Shimon had been on the phone with Arima-sama for what felt like forever. In reality, it had probably only been a few minutes, but Mayura was beginning to get worried. After helping Rokuro out of the dumpster and picking out stray pieces of trash from his clothes and hair, they were now sitting against one of the alley walls, waiting for Shimon to finish. Well, it was more like Mayura was waiting and Rokuro was twitching to do something, namely explore their new surroundings. It had already been established between the three that they were no longer on the island but the mainland. And Rokuro, restless as he was, kept itching to leave and explore.

Rokuro sighed for the umpteenth time. "Is he done yet?"

Mayura shook her head in reply, continuing to watch Shimon's back. His shoulders were tense and his feathers bristled. The distance he put between them and himself indicated he didn't want them to listen in, and her advanced hearing could only pick up bits and pieces of their conversation. She felt bad for listening in, but it worried her that Shimon was so on edge. She directed her attention to the ground between her feet, ears drooping. Laying her chin on the knees pulled to her chest, she zoned out, thinking.

She remained in that position until she heard Rokuro tsk next to her. "Finally." He muttered.

Mayura's head turned to regard Shimon once again. Still facing the alley wall, his hands remained limply at his sides, her phone held loosely in his grip. Concerned, she stood from her position and moved towards him, leaving Rokuro where he was.

When Shimon made no move to acknowledge her when she stopped to stand right behind him, Mayura brought her hand up to caress his right wing. Much like when they were children, Mayura continued guiding a path up and across the wing with her hand. Even when they were both much smaller, Mayura always thought Shimon's wings were large in size. Now, on his 5'9" frame, the tips of his wings barely brushed his mid-calf while the tops surpassed his head by at least half-a-foot.

When was the last time I touched Shimon like this? Mayura thought to herself, continuing her ministrations across the feathered appendage.

Shimon relaxed at the movements before turning to face her, forcing Mayura to remove her hand. Mayura barely had time truly acknowledge how much taller Shimon towered over her own 5'3" figure before the haunted look in his eyes caught her attention. Gasping at the sight, Mayura acted without thinking and cupped both of his cheeks in her hands to get a better look at his eyes.

As she opened her mouth to voice her concern, Shimon masked the look in his eyes with indifference and mild concern. When the silence continued to drag Mayura gave a final sigh before dropping her hands from his face to rest on both his shoulders, bowing her head to rest against his chest. She hoped her presence brought him a little comfort. After everything he did for her, it was the least she could –.

"How long are you two gonna stand like that?" Rokuro questioned, face drooping in boredom. So attuned with each other, they had both failed to notice Rokuro walk over and stand just a yard away from them.

While Mayura jumped away from the embrace, face aflame, Shimon merely put distance between them face remaining indifferent. Whatever he discussed was probably still bothering him, Mayura thought.

"Right." Shimon muttered. He turned to Mayura. "We have a mission. Arima-sama tasked us with finding and retrieving the Yin Talisman holder."

Mayura's red face sobered, eyes questioning. "What about Rokuro?" She asked.

Shimon sighed, defeated. "Arima-sama says we'll need him in order to find the other holder."

"You don't have to sound so disappointed!" Said boy exclaimed, fangs gnashing. He gulped when Shimon turned dark, narrow eyes on him.

"Did you talk to Tenma Unomiya when he gave you the talisman?" Shimon asked.

Mayura looked shocked while Rokuro looked deeply confused, brows furrowed. He scratched at the back of his head, thinking. "Ten-who now? No, like I told Mayura, it just appeared at my house. I didn't see the person who left it." He answered.

"Shimon, what does Unomiya-san have to do with the talisman?" Mayura questioned. Shimon ignored her question, looking deep in thought.

Frustrated, Rokuro let out a yell. "Who cares?! Let's just go find this other holder!" He made to exit the alley.

Snapped out of his thoughts, Shimon scowled before aiming a flying kick at Rokuro's back. "Idiot!"

Sprawled on the floor, Rokuro clutched at his back in the pain. "Hey! What's the big ide –!"

"Actually use your brain for once and think for a moment, half-wolf! –"

" – my name's Rokuro! Rokuro Enmadou!"

"On the mainland, with the exception of the Adashino clan, there are no other exorcists or supernatural beings out in the open. What would the mainlanders think if they saw your ears and tail?! Completing this mission will probably take more than a few days. That means we have to be discreet. And another thing, how do you expect to get around when you don't even understand much less speak their language either?" Shimon yelled, gripping the collar of Rokuro's shirt.

Before Rokuro could answer, a voice yelled from the entrance of the alley. "Hey! You three!"

Rokuro and Shimon froze. Mayura lightly slapped her forehead, muttering to herself. "Idiots."

Standing at the entrance of the alley was a young man not much older than themselves. He wore an open, sleeveless, gold-trimmed, black waist coat with white knee-length trousers. Over the trousers was a black piece of cloth of the same design as his waist coat, held up by a brown belt. The ends of his knee trousers were tied with black ribbon ties, while black, open-toed sandals adorned his feet. He wore a pink wig atop his head, black strands of hair peeking out from under the wig, and a fake looking X-ed scar was drawn over the left side of his torso. The finishing touch to his ensemble was the white scarf wrapped around his neck.

Before the trio could comment on the man's poorly put together outfit, the stranger's eyes widened at their appearance. "Woah! Cool outfits, guys! You guys are here for the New York Anime Convention, right? What characters are you dressed as?"

They continued to stare at the man in confusion. "Um…" Mayura began to say.

"Wait! Wait!" He waved his hands in front of his face. "I know this. You guys must be from that anime…ugh what was it called?" He tapped his finger against his chin before his eyes lit up again. "Twin Star Exorcists! Am I right? You're guys' costumes look so authentic. The wings and ears are new though…is that a tail?!" He rushed to Mayura's side before squatting down for a better look. Her tail twitched nervously in response.

"It looks so real…" The stranger reached a hand out to touch it.

He was only able to graze the smooth tail before he was knocked out by a round-house kick to the face. His body bounced off the alley's brick wall before slumping to the ground in a heap. Red-faced, Mayura clutched at her tail protectively, and if the two other exorcists listened close enough, faint hissing could be heard. "You perverted, pink-haired, top-runner!" she yelled.

Shimon returned his attention to a pale Rokuro. "See? We're bringing too much attention to ourselves."

"Woah! What was he saying? They don't teach that back at school." Rokuro sayed in awe.

"It's called English, Rokuro. It's one of the languages spoken on the mainland." Mayura explained, trying to calm herself from the harassment.

If possible, Rokuro's eyes widened even further. "You could understand him? Woah, wait. How many languages are out there? How many can you speak? How do you know how to speak it? Do any areas on the mainland speak our language?" He rushed out.

"Yeah. Around 6,500. No, I can only speak English and some dialects of Chinese. Shimon can speak twenty of the main ones fluently." Mayura began ticking off her fingers. Shimon let a small prideful smirk show at the mention of his skills, and Rokuro could only gape. "Um…Only the Heavenly Guardians and some other high officials are allowed access to learning material regarding other languages, and I think the only country that comes close to speaking the same dialect as us would be Japan. Did I get them all?" Mayura finished.

Rokuro's excitement could not be contained. "We have to go there! Mayura, can you teach me how to speak English?!" The young half-wolf crowed in excitement, tail waggling.

Shimon cut in before Mayura could answer. "We first need to mask our appearances to blend in with the other mainlanders. There's a spell I remember reading about back on the island that should camouflage us." Reaching into a compartment of his kariginu's belt, Shimon pulled out three blank talismans, a sumi brush, and a container of black ink before beginning to draw various symbols on each talisman.

"Why the heck are you so prepared?!" Rokuro exclaimed.

"Be quiet…Done." Putting the brush and ink away, he handed each of them a talisman. "It's just like equipping enchanted gear but it might be a little draining since it is a powerful sealing enchantment." Finished with his explanation, Shimon chanted an incantation before casting the spell over himself. A bright light filled the alley before disappearing as fast as it appeared. Lowering their hands from shielding their eyes, Mayura and Rokuro could only gape at a now wingless Shimon.

"See? Nothing to…it…" Shimon swayed on his feet before tipping forward. Mayura caught his arm before he could fall to the floor while Rokuro looked on with concern.

Mayura righted him on his feet, but remained at his side in case he fell over again. "Shimon? Are you alright?"

"It's lighter." He breathed, gesturing to behind himself. It was clear that the absence of his wings had affected his center of gravity. "I never realized how heavy they were…"

He pointedly ignored Rokuro, who was now trying in vain to contain his laughter. "I'll be okay. I just need to get used to it." He stepped out of Mayura's hold and began to take a few shaky steps forward. It was like watching a faun walk for the first time and Mayura made sure to stand a safe distance away in case he were to collapse again.

Mayura looked at the talisman in her hands before directing her attention to Shimon's form leaning against the alley wall. "Are you sure this isn't permanent, Shimon?"

Shimon answered easily, "No, the enchantment will leave a symbol on the body representing the seal of our supernatural traits, but it's easy to reverse with a counter-spell."

Mayura nodded before repeating the incantation and casting the spell. When the light faded Mayura was left tailless and without her tiger ears. She touched the human ears on either side of her head curiously. The bustling sounds of the city seemed to have dulled now that her tiger ears were gone, she almost felt deaf. How can people hear anything with ears like these?

Shimon nodded in her direction once before turning his attention to Rokuro. At both their expectant gazes, Rokuro uttered the chant and cast the spell over himself. Much like Mayura, his tail and ears were gone, replaced with empty air and human ears. At a glance, he looked like any other teenaged boy, it was just that…

"Rokuro…your teeth." Mayura pointed at her own mouth.

Rokuro went cross-eyed, trying to figure out what was wrong. It was Shimon's turn to laugh. He let out a silent chortle. "Why am I not surprised your teeth are naturally crooked. Unless you didn't have enough spell power to complete the seal." His chortle erupted into snickers, earning himself a smack from Mayura. Shimon coughed before saying, "We should probably find new clothes to wear, Mayura, as well as other supplies."

"I need new headphones" He murmured to himself. He had left his spare in his bag back on the island. With that he moved to shed his kariginu.

Rokuro sputtered at the action while Mayura pointedly turned her reddening face away, again.

"What are you doing?!" Rokuro yelled.

Shimon tsked as he stepped out of his hunting gear. "It's bad enough that you stand out like a sore thumb. My hunting gear will only bring more unwanted attention towards us, genius. You should do the same, Mayura." Done changing, Shimon folded the red clothing into a neat stack. This left him in the clothes he wore beneath the kariginu which consisted of a skintight black shirt, matching shorts that cut off a little before his knees, and his hunting gear boots and belt. Strapped to the belt was his talisman holder and sword.

Shimon huffed at their expressions and crossed his arms. "It's not like I stripped down naked. Geez."

While Rokuro only continued to gawk at the older boy, Mayura let out a small warning to not look before moving towards the end of the alley to change as well.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

After changing into shorts and a tank top, stuffing her and Shimon's hunting gear into her duffel bag, and tending to the unconscious boy Mayura had kicked in the head, the trio finally made their way into the bustling city.

However, despite Shimon's wanting to keep a low profile, the sword at his side caused various pedestrians to cast perplexed looks in their direction. It didn't help that the skin tight shirt Shimon wore – which did nothing to conceal how much he worked out – attracted suggestive looks from onlookers of the female variety.

Rokuro, on the other hand.

Everything interested him as they walked around the mainland city. A couple times he would wander away, leaving Mayura and Shimon to go look for him. It was only after almost getting hit by a car for the fifth time and Shimon's hand grasping the handle of his sword – ready to pummel him – that Mayura decided to mediate between the two and explain as much as she could to Rokuro about her knowledge of various mainland countries, effectively distracting him enough to not continue wandering.

Having never been to the mainland herself, Mayura also found it very difficult to not explore and sate her own curiosity. Everywhere around them, there were people of all kinds traversing the city's sidewalks and streets, all in a hurry to be somewhere. Shops, buildings, clothes, and food not found on the mainland could be seen. The sound, smell, and beauty of the metropolis overwhelmed her. Mayura did not mind coming back after their mission, though the possibility of that happening was less likely than the chances of catching Shimon singing.

Forcing her gaze from their surroundings onto Shimon, she saw that nothing about the mainland seemed to affect his resolve to finish the mission. That was just how Shimon was, never giving himself the time to enjoy himself. On the island he was regarded with the highest esteem as a powerful exorcist but no one seemed to realize that under all that power, he was lonely. Mayura could not recall the last time she had seen the boy interacting with other kids around his age for purposes aside from Exorcism.

Before Mayura could delve any deeper into her thoughts, she found herself bumping into Shimon's back; they had stopped. Peering around Shimon's back, she found they had stopped outside what appeared to be a bank, if the title **Bank of America** across the building was any indication. She grabbed a hold of Rokuro's collar before he could continue on without them.

"How do you expect to get any money if we don't actually live here?" Rokuro questioned, after a moment of silence, having given up trying to escape. Shimon continued to regard the directions on the teller machine before reaching for another compartment in his belt. He pulled out a black credit card with the Ikaruga House crest imprinted on its front. Mayura had a similar one with the Amawaka crest. The cards were wired to their own House's bank account, and could apparently be used in any country in the Mainland, as well as the Island, for emergency purposes such as now.

"Operating this machine should be similar to the ones on island." Shimon assured.

Twenty minutes later, the trio finally left the machine with bundles of cash each; a line of waiting, angry customers glaring daggers into their backs.

They were finally making their way to one of Mayura's favorite past-times: shopping. Standing outside of Time Warner Shopping Center, Mayura was bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement, waiting for Shimon to give the okay. Rokuro was beaming with happiness at the proposition of being able to get the chance to explore some more.

It was like babysitting children if Shimon was being honest. He held up a single finger. "One hour, Mayura. Meet back here in one hour. We don't have time to waste on shopping for things we might not even use. Only grab the essentials." He said sternly.

Mayura gave a quick nod before bolting, disappearing into the nearest clothing store she found. Rokuro made a move to follow after until Shimon gripped his collar, dragging him away. He was getting really tired of people dragging him everywhere.

He struggled against the other boy's hold. "Hey! What's the big idea?!"

Shimon stopped to regard him. "Unfortunately for the both of us, you can't be on your own until we get you back to the Island. It's my mission to guard you and ensure the safety of you and the Yin Holder." Shimon continued to pull him in the opposite direction against his will.

He would get those headphones.

"Where are we even going?!"

Much like Shimon had requested, Mayura returned to the spot they had agreed to regroup at one hour later. Two bags of clothes held in her hands.

As Mayura made her way to the boys, she had to stop and do a double-take at the passed out Rokuro at Shimon's feet. Now clad in a white shirt with a black skull, black jeans, laced-up boots, black Beats headphones, and a gray scarf, Shimon was intently studying a map of New York before looking up at her arrival. A black sword carrying case occupied one of his shoulders and a black duffel bag hanging by his opposite side.

"How'd the shopping go?" She questioned. Looking through his purchases, she found blank talismans (where he got those she had no idea), a few extra changes of clothes, a prescription of contact lenses with cleaning solution (again, no idea), other hygiene products, a pair of reading glasses, and a few tracks of Buddhist meditation mantras.

 _Only the essentials, huh?_

Shimon huffed. "It would have gone better if this idiot didn't keep dragging his feet."

Rokuro seemed to revive at that comment. "If _I_ didn't drag my feet? I was forced to follow you throughout that stupid shopping mall for things _you_ need." He sat up to point a finger in Shimon's face. "I wasn't able to get a _thing_ for myself besides this bag!" He threw a yellow and black backpack to the floor with the other plastic bags.

Shimon grabbed Rokuro's wrist and squeezed, looking prepared to break it before Mayura interjected. "Ehehe…It's okay, Rokuro. You could just wear some of the clothes that Shimon bought. There's enough for the both of you." Mayura stated, already starting to pack most of the stuff into Shimon's bag, once he handed it over, so that it would be easier to carry everything. She divided the clothes into both boys' bags. She felt like more of a housemaid than their teammate.

The other Commander looked ready to argue at her statement before the young Byakko shot him a glare, effectively cutting him off. Rokuro looked smug at having won their argument, ducking under a swing Shimon had tried to aim at his face. Mayura only sighed at their antics.

 **(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)**

After hours of meandering around the city for a proper place to stay, dragging Rokuro (yet again) away from a poodle because he swore that it was "looking at him funny", and losing said boy in the crowded streets yet again, Shimon felt close to snapping.

At the end, they settled for a single-bedded hotel room. Their room was not overly furnished, nor was it properly cared for: the wallpaper was peeling and the dial for the hot water was jammed. The only other stable pieces of furniture was a long-overdue dust filled couch, that had a concerning stain on one of the two cushions, and four wooden chairs pushed under a wooden table that slumped at one end. The kitchen equipment was more than a little rusted and the interior of the single refrigerator possessed a peculiar sour smell. They wouldn't be staying long.

It was only after they had finished setting up protective barrier enchantments on all the doors and windows ('A precaution' Shimon had said) that Mayura had settled on taking a quick shower. That left Shimon and Rokuro to their own devices, the former taking the time to create more charms with the materials he had purchased while the latter sat in the opposite corner awkwardly, surprisingly silent.

Shimon had just finished making a Charm Gear when Rokuro broke the silence. "So…what's the plan now?"

The red-headed Ikaruga remained silent, moving on to his next charm. Maybe if he pretended to not be listening the other boy would give up bugging him? It was a hopeful wish.

Letting out a sigh as the Buddhist mantras echoed in his head from his newly bought headphones, Shimon opened his mouth to answer before Mayura returned to the room, toweling her hair dry and wearing the gray sweats and pink tank top she had just recently bought.

Seeing that everyone was now present, Shimon moved to the dining table in the kitchen, laying out a map of the United States on its surface. Shimon mumbled a chant under his breath before a blue light illuminated the paper, leaving behind two dots. The other two gathered around the table.

"This is where we currently are." Shimon said, pointing to the dot furthest to the east. New York, NY could be seen inscribed on the map.

He moved his hand to point towards the other dot. "This is where the Adashino House resides on the mainland." Below was written Los Angeles, CA. "According to the mainland's known transportation techniques, taking a plane will be the fastest. Unfortunately for us, however," Casting another chant, the map lit up with red dots, the most concentrated of them being in Los Angeles. "This place is one of the most concentrated in kegare presences. We'll need to be careful."

"Why would the Adashino House be located in an area where there are so many impurities?" Rokuro questioned.

"It was a necessary evil." Shimon answered. "Because of the dark aura that the Yin talisman emits, it was hidden where a higher concentration of impurities could hide its presence from those who would use it for their own gain. That makes our job difficult because of you." Shimon glanced up to stare at Rokuro.

"M-Me?! Why?!" He sputtered.

"Because the Yang talisman has decided for you to become its next holder, the aura _you_ emit will act as a honing beacon to anyone or thing that wants to kill us." Rokuro lifted his right arm to stare at the black star imprinted on his skin, brow furrowing.

"But with this power…" Rokuro began. "…if it's as powerful as you've said it is, then I could end it all now." He grinned toothily. "Why don't we just go back to the island and face the kegare? I could wipe them all out and put an end to this war!" He failed to notice the dangerous slant of Shimon's eyes.

Rokuro didn't see the blade flying until it had embedded itself into the wall an inch by his head. He really had to learn how to not piss this guy off so much.

"You don't get to say that." Shimon said after a tense moment. Mayura glanced worriedly between the two but didn't comment. " _This_ power doesn't give you the right to think that you're some savior the island needs. If you were a true exorcist, you'd fight under your own power, not with something someone thought you were meant to have."

As he was talking, Shimon had stalked around the table until he had Rokuro cornered at the wall, looming over him.

Glaring down on him, Shimon brought his voice down to a deadly whisper. "Don't look down on those of us who have actually _worked_ for our titles." He removed his blade from the wall and recalled it. With that he stalked out of the room, the door slamming after him.

When the door slammed shut Rokuro moved from his spot on the wall to slump in a chair at the table. He buried his head in his hands.

"Why does he hate me so much?" He whined. Mayura joined him at the table. She hesitated before resting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not you, Rokuro." The sound of his head hitting the table showed he wasn't entirely convinced.

Mayura pursed her lips and clasped her hands on the table. "You and Shimon are more alike than you might think." Rokuro turned his head, listening.

She fiddled with her fingers nervously, contemplating whether to reveal information about the red-head's past, before clearing her throat, determined. "Shimon's mom died during childbirth and his father went missing on a special mission requested by the head exorcist of that time when he was very young. After months of being MIA, the exorcist union decided to claim him as killed in action. After that, Shimon was put under the care of his uncle, Hoji Ikaruga, the head of the Ikaruga Household.

"He has trained and studied night and day to strengthen himself and improve his skills, earning the title of Suzaku through skill alone. Even though Keiji-san was meant to become one of the Heavenly Guardians, Shimon fought _hard_ for his title and he's very proud of that fact. Now he fights to save his younger cousin, Sayo-chan, from a fate that was never meant to be hers. But, more than that, he fights without rest to put an end to the kegare. He's one of the most dedicated people to exorcism I've ever met, and it's to ensure that kids don't have to grow up without parents in a world tainted in darkness, like himself."

When Rokuro continued to remain silent, Mayura released a sigh and stood from her chair, heading for the door.

"I know his past may not seem as traumatizing as yours." Referring to Rokuro's own nightmarish childhood. The boy flinched as if the reminder itself had physically hurt him. "But he has been through his own traumas out on the battlefield, and you'll see he's very loyal to those who he deems a friend." Mayura rested her hand on the doorknob.

"Though there aren't nearly enough of those in his life." She muttered to herself before turning to Rokuro's slumped form, grinning. "I'm going to look for Shimon. The enchantment on the door should keep anyone else but us from coming in so you'll be safe here. Don't go anywhere though. I'll teach you some more English when I get back."

She left the room, leaving Rokuro to contemplate the puzzle that was Shimon Ikaruga.

 **A/N: So Rokuro and Shimon can't seem to get along still, wonder how that's going to work out... - Anyway, I've been contemplating putting sneak peeks at the end of each chapter. What do you guys think? Please feel free to review to let me know! If anyone can guess who the stranger at the alley was dressed up as, I'll PM you a sneak peek of the next chapter!**

 **To** _ **The Dark Hour**_ **, who reviewed, thank you for your commentary. I can't deny that writing Fanfiction is a lot harder than it seems so I understand that some authors struggle with trying to write their stories as fluently as possible. Heck, I've struggled with writing this story since the beginning, since it is my first fanfiction. I can't promise to write this story exactly as how you might want it, but I hope to write it in a way where everyone can enjoy it.**

 **Thank you to those who Faved/Followed as well! See ya all next time!**


	5. A Moment of Peace

**So...this is way past overdue. I'm so sorry for keeping you all waiting! Life happens sometimes, I guess. Can't say when the next chapter will be coming out, but I hope you all enjoy this one! I have a little sneak peak at the bottom waiting for you all, though I know that won't make up for being absent for...half a year? Enjoy.**

* * *

Shimon remained silent as she dropped down to sit next to him. On the roof ledge of the 10-story hotel, the view would have left people in awe. The sun had long since set, painting the sky in varying shades of red, orange, and purple. City lights began to reflect and shine through the coming darkness of night and illuminated the metropolis below. Neighboring buildings towered over their heads in a grand showing of impressive engineering while the honking of cars and lively society echoed in the silence between them.

This did little to impress Shimon.

After having graced the skies of Tsuchimikado Island, Shimon could find very few things that could top the scenery of the island from such heights. From the rolling hills and luscious forests to the glistening waters of the ocean and high ocean-side cliffs, New York could not hope to compete with the natural beauty of his homeland.

With that thought, Shimon's resolve strengthened. He could not rest his wings here. He had to get back to the island. Arima-sama and Tenma were planning something and he had promised himself he would find out. For now, he would focus on the mission ahead. Everything else was irrelevant. Except…

Shimon finally turned to his visitor, questioning, "You're not going to say anything?"

…

"…you can't see the stars from here." Mayura breathed, eyes sad.

He turned his head back to regard the dark sky. There wasn't a single cloud to be found. Yet, the gleaming lights of the city had outshined the tiny beacons of light. It was like staring into a sinking abyss, and Shimon didn't believe he wanted to stay long enough to find out what was on the other side. He gave a short hum in agreement.

Mayura sighed and dragged her legs from over the ledge and hugged them to her chest. She began to sway in her seat, tilting over the edge dangerously.

"It makes me miss home."

Memories of two children lounging high up in a tree, gazing at the stars, flowed through Mayura's mind. How the two would talk for hours on end up in that same tree, sharing vivid emotions of joy, sadness, and determination. How, after their little escapades, the little girl would intentionally jump from such daunting heights, trusting that the little boy with wings would catch her. And how he always did.

"But," Mayura said, capturing Shimon's attention. "There are so many new possibilities here. To make friends, experiences, and memories. Who knows when we'll ever get a chance to come to the mainland again? We should try to enjoy ourselves while we can."

She smiled up at him, hoping the usually stiff Ikaruga would agree with her. The disappointed frown on his face dashed her hopes.

"The only reason as to why we are here is because of an accident that idiot downstairs caused. And the only reason we are _staying_ here is to complete the mission Arima-sama assigned to us. The sooner we get back to the island the better for us all. Getting comfortable will just delay us."

It was Mayura's turn to frown up at him. "Don't call him an idiot."

Shimon scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. Mayura continued, "I don't understand why you two can't just get along. Usually you're more willing to open up to people, Shimon. What makes Rokuro so different?"

"He's not."

"Could have fooled me." By now she had turned to face the side of his profile, her legs and arms crossed. "Why do you hate him so much?"

"I just do." Shimon shrugged.

"But why?"

"I just do." He repeated.

"Shimon, just answer the question!"

"No."

"Shimon! Answer the question!"

"No."

"Do it!"

"I said no, Mayura!"

"Why can't you just answer my question?!"

"Why are you so insistent that I do?!"

"Because two of my best friends can't seem to come to a consensus with one another! And it hurts seeing you two this way!" She glared at Shimon, face red. "Why can't you just be the bigger person and call a truce?!"

Shimon had to turn his head away and shut his eyes. He grit his teeth, struggling with himself on whether or not to say what he knew.

Mayura continued to yell at him. "If you're not going to-!"

She was interrupted by Shimon roughly yanking off his headphones, so that they hung around his neck, and spun around to face her. "I'm trying to protect you!" He yelled.

And just like that it felt like a heavy weight had lifted from his shoulders and he breathed out an internal sigh of relief.

Mayura's face had lost its angry red glow and was now marred with confusion. "Protect me from what? Rokuro?"

"Yes! I mean, no! NO! I mean…UGH!" He scratched at his hair furiously, confusing himself with his own explanation – or lack thereof – before heaving a heavy sigh to clear his thoughts. He clutched at Mayura's shoulders.

"We can't trust him, Mayura. Arima-sama had it all planned out." His eyes were deadly serious, unflinching.

Mayura reached up to clutch at his wrists. "Shimon, what exactly did Arima-sama say to you on the phone?"

Shimon let out another calming sigh before delving into the conversation he had with Arima upon their arrival to the mainland. When he was done with his explanation Mayura once again had another frown marring her face as she pinpointed her stare to a random point in space, thinking. Shimon was sure that if her tail and ears were present her ears would have been twitching in thought; it was a habit she had yet to rid of ever since they were children.

Mayura continued to remain silently thinking before she turned to him, eyes determined. "We can trust Rokuro." As Shimon opened his mouth to disagree, Mayura held up a finger to silence him. "I've known him for years, Shimon, and he's trustworthy."

"How can you be so sure?" Shimon questioned further.

"Dad has been training Rokuro in minor spells and enchantments ever since he arrived at the Amawaka House around four years ago." Mayura answered.

Now this surprised Shimon. "Seigen-san has been…" Knowing his former teacher, Seigen never trained just anyone. If a person, in Seigen's eyes, didn't seem to have the potential to become a true exorcist and learn to survive in Magano he wouldn't think twice to drop-kick them out the dojo doors. How was this runt able to catch the attention of his idol—teacher?! Wait a minute…

"He's been staying at the Amawaka estate for four years now?! Why didn't you ever tell me about this?" Shimon demanded.

Mayura huffed. "It wasn't like you were around to know about it." Her voice took on a sad tone. "Ever since you became one of the Heavenly Commanders, you've never had time to visit the Amawaka estate. Even when I try to visit you at the Ikaruga House, Keiji and Sayo-chan always say you're either on a mission or just too busy to come by. And now that I've become a Commander as well, all we've had time to do together is short training sessions….I guess Rokuro just never came up because I was trying to enjoy the limited time I had with you." Finished, Mayura tried to hide her reddening face in her knees.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them and Shimon gave an awkward cough before rubbing at the nape of his neck. "I'm not going to apologize for not being there. As an exorcist, and more so as one of the Heavenly Commanders, it is my duty to fight for the protection and prosperity of the island."

"I know." Mayura smiled softly in acceptance. She knew it was not her place to judge Shimon on his commitment to his duties too poorly. It would be a lie if she said that she wasn't disappointed that he didn't return her sentiment on the matter, but she understood that now wasn't the time to worry about such trivial things. They were at war, and the balance could and _would_ tip against them at any moment if they did not continue to remain vigilant.

"Do you know where he came from before Seigen took him in?" Shimon asked.

Mayura shook her head in reply. "No, dad wouldn't say anything on the matter." Seeing Shimon's furrowing brow, Mayura laid her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, we'll figure out what Arima-sama and Tenma-san are up to and about Rokuro's past. For now let's just concentrate on the mission in front of us, and the best place to start is by teaching Rokuro how to speak English!"

"Yeah…" Shimon shrugged. "The half-wolf would be useless otherwise. OW!"

Mayura had punched his shoulder. Rubbing at the sore spot, Shimon turned to shoot a glare at the younger exorcist.

"That's not true! Rokuro can do the basics of spells and knows how to make curry!" She huffed.

"So…he's useless." Shimon deadpanned before trying to stifle a laugh.

Mayura's face began to take on a red hue, her frustration officially peaked. So, Rokuro was a work-in-progress; Shimon didn't have to laugh at him for it! "UGH! You are so insufferable, you…you…YOU IDIOT, RED-HAIRED COMMANDER!"

She gave him a harsh push and watched in satisfaction as he fell over the ledge. A yelp escaped him as he fell, arms flailing.

Now, Mayura pushing Shimon out of trees, from buildings, and at generally high heights wasn't an uncommon sight back on the island. Of course, the boy would always catch himself before he landed thanks to his ever-present winged appendages. However, on this one occasion, Mayura had forgotten one little important fact before religiously shoving the boy from the top of the 10-story building.

When that little detail finally computed within her brain, Mayura felt her heart leap into her throat. Scrambling for the ledge, she peered over and tried in vain to search for the boy in the dark. Scrambling for a talisman at her belt, Mayura yelled "SHI–" before a red blur shot from the dark, ruffling her hair.

Floating slightly above her was Shimon. He held a levitation talisman in his mouth while his hands were clasped together in concentration, all the while glaring down at her, brow twitching.

Mayura breathed an internal sigh of relief. Leave it to Suzaku of the Twelve Guardians to always be prepared. She chuckled nervously. "Good reflexes?"

Apparently that wasn't the right thing to say as Shimon's glare deepened, dragging an "eep" out of Mayura. She took an unconscious step backward towards the rooftop stairs. The probability of outrunning the other boy was slim, but fear was a great motivator. Seeing her take a glance to the stairs behind her, Shimon's brow furrowed further freezing Mayura in her tracks. Continuing to hold his concentration and hand sign, Shimon spat the talisman out.

"You are so dead." With that he released his clasped hands. With the spell canceled, Shimon's body fell from the sky in a dive towards Mayura. Hands outstretched, he made a move to tackle her to the roof when Mayura screeched and ducked under the attack. Rolling to cushion his fall, Shimon was back on his feet in an instant and was after her once again.

For once in her life, Mayura was grateful for the absence of her ears and tail. When evading the persistent boy, they really only served as handholds for him to grab hold of. At least in this form, she had a slight advantage over him since he didn't have his wings to give him an added boost in speed. The only problem was…her speed wasn't all too great either.

Driven to the corner of the roof, Mayura found herself trapped between the ledge and Shimon. The door was to Shimon's back, cutting off her only chance of escape. She wasn't interested in taking a crash course in free falling today, so jumping was out of the question.

As Shimon continued to stalk towards her, Mayura tried to make herself as small as possible by hunching over, as if that would hide her from him. "Ehehe…can't we talk about this Shimon? You know that I always push you over back on the island! I just forgot that you sealed your wings away! It was an accident, I swear! You can't fault me for doing it on habit! I swea–EEP!" Shimon lunged for her. Acting on instinct alone, Mayura lashed out with her fist.

As the seconds ticked by and she wasn't tackled to the ground, Mayura glanced up to see Shimon faltering in his step, clutching at his nose. Looking closer, blood was seeping between his fingers.

Oh, _shit._

When Shimon looked up to meet her eyes, this time, twin flames reflected in his usually unperturbed blue irises. He wiped the underside of his nose with his thumb, leaving behind a smear of blood.

For the second time that night, Mayura thought…. _shit._

* * *

Mayura collapsed on the floor of the roof on her back, out of breath. Raising a hand to her cheek, she recoiled with a hiss at how tender the skin was. There would certainly be a bruise tomorrow.

"You couldn't have avoided the face?"

Shimon joined her on the ground a moment later, only slightly winded.

"Just returning the favor." He gestured to his own bruising nose. "Besides, you could have blocked that hit. Your dropped your guard after that spinning kick." He recalled.

The punch to his shoulder had him laughing. Mayura joined in his laughter before they were both turning to gaze at the sky above, silence once again settling over them.

He broke the silence. "How did you know I would be here?"

She scoffed as if he had just insulted her. For how long their friendship had been, perhaps he had. "You like to be close to the sky and the clouds. It's where you're most comfortable. I figured you would want to be somewhere high up but not too far away." Mayura said.

Her words had him smiling a small smile until she said, "It's also where you like to be when you want to sulk."

He turned to regard her with a serious expression on his face. "I do not sulk."

"Keep telling yourself that, Shimon."

They remained in comfortable silence, simply enjoying the moment before Mayura decided to speak up once again. "We'll complete this mission, Shimon. Then we'll go home and I'll help you search for a way to save Sayo-chan." She turned to look up at him, smiling. "So try not to worry so much, okay?"

The red-headed commander smiled to himself before releasing a silent sigh of exasperation. "As one of the Twelve Guardians it's our job to overlook the well-being of the entire Island. Worrying ourselves ragged is part of the job."

Mayura pouted at his response. One day, she was going to make certain that Shimon never used his duty as a Guardian to justify every action that he took. But…she couldn't help letting a small slip out that he thought of her as part of the Twelve Commanders as well: his equal, of sorts.

Moment ending, Mayura turned to look out towards the city once more before Shimon tensed beside her, standing to his feet and quickly ushering her to do the same. Confused, she moved to follow the boy as he led her by the hand across the roof and to the stairs.

"Shimon?"

"There's something out there." He glanced over his shoulder before moving to pull the roof's door behind them. Mayura chanced a peak over her own shoulder before he shut the door, face twisting into a deeper frown when nothing seemed to speak out as dangerous to her, then she felt it. A small pressure, not noticeable to anyone without a keen sense. If Mayura could put it into words, it was like a living shadow. It slipped on and off her radar, but nothing could misplace its killing intent and the absolute glee it felt at the thought of a chase.

Mayura pulled her hand out of Shimon's to run beside him rather than being dragged along. "We need to get Rokuro and get out of here." She told him. Shimon nodded in agreement before rifling through his talismans.

"Looks like we'll have to conduct a site-to-site transportation spell." He murmured to himself.

Mayura almost tripped over her feet at his words. "Would that even work here? We don't know the full layout of the Mainland. We could end up on the complete opposite of the world if we use this spell. Plus, it takes five people to conduct one comfortably. Dad never taught Rokuro how to cast the spell, and–"

"I'll try and pinpoint the largest concentration of kegare impurities in the Los Angeles area and tether the spell. That should bring us close to where we need to be." By now, the dark presence had begun to crash down around them. Whatever was after them, it was close. Mayura and Shimon rushed through the hallways of their floor and finally reached the hotel room. Shimon wrenched the door open, the seals allowing him passage, before beginning to stuff their things into his duffel. Mayura followed after him and shut the door.

Rokuro fell from his position on top of his precariously tipped chair at their entrance. "Hey! What's happening? Are we going –"

He was interrupted. "Shimon! This is crazy! You can't conduct that spell by yourself. It'll tear you apart!" Shimon ignored her in favor of placing the map on the table onto the floor before whipping out five blank talismans to hastily write the correct spells across the white surfaces.

When he continued to ignore her, Mayura pulled at his shoulder so he would face her. "Shimon –!" The dark look that he cast her had her faltering. Just then, cracks began to appear along the door as the seals strained to keep whatever was trying to break in _out_.

"Uh…guys?" Rokuro glanced nervously between the raging couple and the door.

Mayura held her glare before turning away with a sigh of frustration. "Rokuro, get your things. We're getting out of here. Now." The young half-wolf nodded vigorously before moving to do just that.

Shimon returned to his task, laying out the five talismans around the map, never faltering even as Mayura brought her head down to whisper in his ear. "Don't die."

"I don't plan to." Shimon sat himself down, clasped his hands, and began chanting.

Mayura turned her attention to the banging door. The enchantment cracked and splintered in multiple areas much like fractured glass. Reaching into her own talisman holder, Mayura extracted six more sealing talismans, three on each hand, and cast them on the door.

The strain of holding back whatever was after them had her breaking out in a sweat within minutes. It was like holding back a dam from erupting. Once she let go, they'd have little time to escape before the thing behind the door flooded into the room.

Rokuro suddenly appeared beside her, both her bag and his own slung across his shoulders, before he took a sealing talisman from her talisman holder and cast it along with hers. The strain decreased by a degree and Mayura flashed Rokuro a smile of appreciation before returning to the task at hand in concentration.

The aura behind the door was beginning to get more agitated with this game of hide-and-seek and began to violently slam against their barrier. Parts of the wooden door exploded into the room, but the barrier continued to hold. From the new opening, Mayura could make out the grotesque visage of an impurity. But, standing right behind the impurity, stood a person. It was with a start that Mayura realized the person was the source of the malevolent aura. She couldn't see the person's face. It was hidden behind a blank, black fox mask.

The same ones that the exorcists that attacked them on the Island wore.

Did they follow them to the Mainland?

Before Mayura could dwell on the matter, Shimon yelled in a strained voice, "It's done! Get in!"

Looking over her shoulder, Mayura saw an open portal in the floor where the map was previously lain. Shimon strained to hold it open, sweat beginning to gather at his furrowed brow and trailing down the sides of his face. Looking again, Mayura could actually see the portal beginning to shrink.

She kick at Rokuro's side. "Go, Rokuro! Shimon can't hold it open for long." Rokuro opened his mouth to protest and Mayura glared, "Now, isn't the time to argue. GO!"

He closed his mouth and nodded minutely, clenched his eyes closed in internal conflict and left Mayura's side to jump through. Though she couldn't see their face, the malicious aura increased with Rokuro's escape and the breach in the door widened.

Sensing the same thing, Shimon shouted, "You…next…Mayura!"

In an instant, Mayura dropped her spell and rushed towards Shimon. She didn't dare look back as the rest of the door, along with the sides of the wall _exploded_. Wood chippings showered over her head, but she ignored it in favor of diving for the closing portal. She gripped Shimon's shirt in a fist as she passed and dragged his body in with her, clutching his limp body with all her might as they fell.

Above, a shadow slipped through right before the portal closed.

* * *

 **So, the sneak peak I have for you all is actually the title of the next chapter: Benio Adashino. Let me know if you think I should spoil the titles of chapters in future chapters! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


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